"The NBA had 8% and they were thrilled" - Dana White boasts about the UFC's 0.008% COVID-positive ratio amidst the pandemic
Dana White is proud of what the UFC was able to achieve throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. White compared his organization's infection rate to the NBA's statistics in a bid to highlight the UFC's success.
Speaking to reporters during the Dana White's Contender Series press conference, the UFC boss said:
"What we did through the pandemic, nobody else did. And nobody had a true bubble like we did during the pandemic. And we had the lowest rate of people turning up with COVID by far. I think the NBA had 8% and they were thrilled. We had like 0.008%. Then you look at putting together this show coming out of the pandemic when all those other small shows weren't operating. You know what I mean? That's where the talent comes from."
Check out Dana White's full interview below:
Though White didn't make it clear, it appears that he was referring to the NBA's report in December 2020. The NBA and its players' association announced that 48 players out of 546 tested positive for COVID-19 (8.7%) in the first batch of testing for players who returned to their home city for the beginning of the 2020-21 regular season.
NBA and NBPA Announce COVID-19 Test Results https://t.co/XnUwEAI4TI
However, White did not provide a detailed breakdown of how he came up with the 0.008% infection rate. On top of that, comparing the UFC's infection rate to that of the NBA's is disproportionate, as basketball is a team sport – hence, the NBA's chances for infection is naturally higher.
Nonetheless, White has proven that the UFC is pandemic-proof. The MMA promotion was the first major sporting league to put on events amid the COVID-19 crisis.
Dana White won't require fighters to get vaccinated
Dana White said the UFC won't ever mandate a COVID-19 vaccination for its athletes. During an interview with TSN in August, White addressed his company's policy when it comes to vaccines. He said:
"I would never tell another human being what to do with their body. If you want to get vaccinated, that’s up to you. That’s your choice. You’re never going to hear me say I’m going to force people to get vaccinated. Never gonna happen."